This publication provides an up-to-date overview of the South Australian economy and contrasts the state's performance with that of the Australian economy. It provides details of movements in a range of economic and social indicators.

IMPORTANT NOTE

This is the final issue of South Australian Economic Indicators (cat. no. 1307.4).

Development of a replacement product is currently underway. If you would like to be notified of the release of this replacement product, please contact Liz Finlay on ph: (08) 8237 7417 or alternatively e-mail <elizabeth.finlay@abs.gov.au>.

OVERVIEW

The data in this overview are presented in trend terms, unless otherwise stated.

Included in this overview are Statistical Summary tables showing comparisons between South Australia and Australia for a variety of economic and social indicators. Also included is a State Summary, showing the performance of all states and territories for selected indicators.

Further detail on all the indicators shown below can be obtained by accessing the latest data cube attached to this publication. This data cube is available within the Related Links section on this page.

INTERNATIONAL TRADE

The value of South Australian merchandise exports (in original terms) for the month of December 2004 was $635.2m. This was an increase of 5.5% from the previous month but a decrease of 11.2% from December 2003 ($715.0m).

The value of South Australian merchandise imports (in original terms) for December 2004 was $430.8m. This was a decrease of 15.5% from the $509.9m recorded in November 2004, but 3.7% more than the December 2003 figure of $415.5m.

The estimated total number of dwelling units approved in December 2004 in South Australia was 820, 1.6% lower than in November 2004 (833). The number of dwelling units approved declined by 16.6% in the year to December 2004.

The all groups consumer price index in Adelaide for the December quarter 2004 was 150.0, an increase of 2.6% on the level recorded for the same period in 2003 and an increase of 0.7% on the September quarter 2004.

The trend estimate of employed persons in South Australia was 728,900 in January 2005, 13,200 or 1.8% higher than in January 2004. In January 2005 there were 503,600 persons employed full-time in South Australia compared with 489,200 in January 2004.

Employed Persons

The trend estimate of the unemployment rate for the state was 5.3% in January 2005, lower than the January 2004 estimate of 6.6%. The participation rate in South Australia was 61.4% in January 2005 compared with 61.6% in January 2004.

The value of secured housing finance commitments for owner occupation was $691.6m in December 2004. This was an increase of 1.5% from the previous month and 9.4% more than the value of commitments in December 2003 ($631.9m).

(a) Base year of each index 1989-90 = 100.(b) Change is shown in terms of percentage points.(c) Base year of index 2003-04 = 100.(d) Excludes alterations and additions. Includes refinancing.(e) Rate for business loans over $50,000.

STATE SUMMARY

Source

Indicator

Period

NSW

Vic.

Qld

SA

WA

Tas.

NT

ACT

index

SELECTED INDICATORS

CPI- All groups(a) (index no.)

Dec qtr 04

147.3

145.3

148.0

150.0

143.3

146.7

141.1

146.3

12

Participation rate trend (%)

Jan 05

62.4

64.3

65.7

61.4

66.3

58.6

69.9

73.1

16

Unemployment rate trend (%)

Jan 05

5.1

5.6

4.7

5.3

4.5

5.6

6.2

3.7

16

Average weekly earnings (full-time adults; ordinary time) trend ($)

Nov qtr 04

1,002.50

992.10

910.00

907.60

982.50

885.70

983.70

1,109.00

19

SELECTED INDICATORS PER HEAD OF POPULATION (b)

State final demand

Chain volume measures trend (c)

($'000)

Jun qtr 04

10.4

10.4

9.9

9.6

10.5

8.8

13.9

17.7

1

Retail turnover

Current prices original ($)

Dec 04

1,073.0

1,050.1

1,058.5

1,026.8

1,099.8

970.2

919.1

1,221.1

3

Current prices trend ($)

Dec 04

821.7

796.1

831.6

784.2

839.4

724.6

813.0

946.4

3

New motor vehicle sales

trend (no. per '000 population)

Jan 05

3.9

4.5

4.4

3.4

4.0

3.8

3.6

3.9

4

Private new capital expenditure

Current prices trend ($)

Dec qtr 04

594.1

591.0

666.9

614.6

1,205.7

572.5

1,945.8

567.9

5

Dwelling unit approvals

Original (no. per '000 population)

Dec 04

0.467

0.573

0.788

0.570

0.984

0.537

0.570

1.679

7

Trend (no. per '000 population)

Dec 04

0.422

0.663

0.839

0.543

0.951

0.498

0.510

0.358

7

Secured housing finance (d) ($)

Dec 04

611.7

517.6

558.1

491.9

633.1

336.2

505.2

431.5

21

PERCENTAGE CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS PERIOD

State final demand

Chain volume measures trend (c)

Jun qtr 04

1.1

1.1

1.6

1.4

1.0

0.6

0.6

0.9

1

Retail turnover

Current prices original

Dec 04

25.3

27.6

23.2

25.8

26.6

30.2

13.5

25.8

3

Current prices trend

Dec 04

-0.3

-0.2

-0.8

-0.2

-0.0

-0.1

-0.3

-0.1

3

New motor vehicle sales trend

Jan 05

0.9

0.8

0.5

-0.2

-0.2

1.3

-1.5

1.0

4

Private new capital expenditure

Current prices trend (e)

Dec qtr 04

3.5

2.2

4.8

-1.3

4.2

13.6

-5.1

10.2

5

Dwelling unit approvals

Original

Dec 04

6.0

-19.6

-2.2

-3.1

1.4

-4.4

28.1

98.5

7

Trend

Dec 04

-2.3

-1.3

-1.6

-1.6

-0.5

4.2

-4.9

19.8

7

CPI- All groups

Dec qtr 04

0.8

0.8

0.8

0.7

0.9

1.2

0.2

0.5

12

Participation rate trend (e)

Jan 05

0.1

0.0

0.1

0.0

0.2

-0.1

0.0

0.5

16

Unemployment rate trend (e)

Jan 05

0.0

-0.1

-0.1

-0.1

0.0

-0.1

-0.2

-0.1

16

Average weekly earnings (full-time adults;ordinary time) trend

Nov qtr 04

0.4

2.0

0.8

1.6

1.5

1.8

1.6

2.0

19

Secured housing finance (d)

Dec 04

-0.7

0.7

-3.4

-1.6

-3.4

14.0

-5.3

0.7

21

(a) Base year of index 1989-90=100.

(b) The latest quarterly estimate of Australian resident population has been used to calculate ratios for subsequent periods.

(c) Reference year for chain volume measures is 2001-02.

(d) Excludes alterations and additions. Includes refinancing.

(e) Change is shown in terms of percentage points.

SOURCE INDEX FOR STATISTICAL & STATE SUMMARY TABLES

1

Australian National Accounts: National Income, Expenditure and Product (cat. no. 5206.0) - and ABS data available on request

2

International Trade in Goods and Services (cat. no. 5368.0) Quarterly and International Merchandise Imports (cat. no. 5349.0) Monthly. Further detail available on request and in the associated data cubes.

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